Papergirl hero saves woman, 91
Published: September 5, 2006
A PAPERGIRL helped save the life of a 91-year-old woman who lay undiscovered for hours after an accident in her home.
Seventeen-year-old Lindsey Armstrong from Distington was doing her morning paper round in the village when she heard the emergency help buzzer at Mary Ann Taylor’s home in Rectory Square.
Mrs Taylor had injured her face after smashing her head on a door as she got up to go the bathroom at 2.30am. She was still lying on the floor, covered in blood, when Lindsey went to push a paper through her door four hours later.
Lindsey said: “I tried the front door and the back door, but could not get in. I phoned 999 for the ambulance and police.”
Officers had to force the door open with battering rams. They found Mrs Taylor in the front bedroom.
Mrs Taylor is believed to have lain there for four hours and lost four pints of blood. Medics said if it had not been for Lindsey, she would have died.
Former parish councillor Jim Taylor is now calling for Lindsey to be honoured for her efforts.
“There is no doubt about it – she saved that old lady’s life,” he said.
“Mrs Taylor was a mess – she really was in a terrible state. If she had laid there any longer she would have died. Lindsey really deserves an award for what she did.”
Mrs Taylor, who has only now been released from hospital after three weeks, had been smashed in the face and head by a metal handle on a jammed door she pulled.
She said: “I was going to the toilet. I had to come through the hallway. The bathroom door was ajar. I pulled it and it hit my head. The handle of the door went into my head. I lost four pints of blood. I rang on my cord and pulled the cord with lights on it. I could feel myself going unconscious.”
She did not know how long she had lain before help arrived, but when she was taken to hospital by ambulance, a doctor told her she would not have lived for much longer if she had not been found.
Lindsey, who is a student at Lakes College West Cumbria, works for RJ Simpson newsagents in Distington Main Street.
Sally Stewart, whose brother owns the shop said: “Lindsey was marvellous. She took control. She will do anything for anyone, like her mum Linda, who also works here. You can rely on her to do anything and she is always so pleasant.”
Last week, Carlisle paperboy Paul Wilde was hailed a hero after saving the life of one of his customers.
Fifteen-year-old Paul heard Paul Lawson’s cries for help through the letterbox after delivering his paper.
Mr Lawson, 57, of Mayfield Avenue, Harraby, was suffering an asthma attack and was struggling to breathe.
Paul forced his way through the door, which Mr Lawson had collapsed behind, and activated the emergency Careline system before calling for an ambulance.
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